Process Intensification of Thermoplastic Lignocellulose Production through High-Solids Reactive Extrusion Enabled by a Novel Recycle Loop

Abstract

To reduce the reactant concentration necessary for producing a newly synthesized thermoplastic lignocellulose from forestry waste, this study explores the concept of a recycle stream as a chemical unit operation in a reactive extrusion process. Modified lignocellulose from the first pass was returned to the start of the extrusion process to act as a lubricant for the lignocellulose feedstock. By this action, a high lignocellulose content could be extruded without requiring costly lubrication alternatives such as plasticizing additives, solvents, or excessive quantities of liquid reactants. With 25% recycled material, a significantly improved processing state was found, allowing for a reduction in total reactant usage by 50% without change to the degree of modification and ultimately leaving less unreacted species in the final product. The thermoplastic nature of the modified lignocellulose was characterized by thermal and rheological analysis and was found to demonstrate greater flowability with any recycle stream fraction.

Valorization of sawdust biomass for biopolymer extraction via green method: Comparison with conventional process

“…XRD patterns were collected in a Bruker diffractometer (D8 Advanced model), equipped with Bregg Bentano geometry, from 10 to 50 (2θ) range at 40.0 kV and 40.0 mA, using CuK α radiation (λ = 0.154 nm), 0.02 per step. The main signal of XRD patterns (19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28) were analyzed through peak deconvolution of integrated profiles. Specifically, type I and II polymorphous contributions were studied to know their presence.…”

“…To reach this goal, it is required to perform some pretreatments before using it for the bioplastics transformation processes 19 . In this sense, it is important to consider that LGs have low deformability and no melting temperature, reason why melt‐compounding process using a thermoplastic matrix is required to obtain an optimal dispersibility 20 . This is the reason why fibers need to be pretreated to permit the adhesion with polymeric matrixes; thus improving their interlocking 21 …”

“…19 In this sense, it is important to consider that LGs have low deformability and no melting temperature, reason why meltcompounding process using a thermoplastic matrix is required to obtain an optimal dispersibility. 20 This is the reason why fibers need to be pretreated to permit the adhesion with polymeric matrixes; thus improving their interlocking. 21 Biomass pretreatment has the purpose of letting cellulose almost intact while removing some H and L content.…”

Composites of an Epoxy Resin (EP)/PVDF/NiCo-Graphene Nanosheet (GNS) for Electromagnetic Shielding

“…6 In addition, polymer-based composites show wide application in the 3D packaging field with high dimensional accuracy requirements due to their advantages of excellent mechanical tensile strength, low density, low cost, and high chemical stability, as well as ease in design and molding. 7,8 Previous works have been widely published by constructing intrinsic polymers with high crystallinity and orientation, adding large amounts of high-performance inorganic fillers, and further controlling the ordered arrangement of fillers along a specific direction (e.g., magnetic orientation, 9 hot pressing, 10 electrospinning, 11 vacuum self-assembly, 12 etc.) to promote the enhancement of both heat transfer efficiency and shielding or absorption of electromagnetic waves.…”

“…The unique high dielectric constant and magnetic permeability of transition metal nickel–cobalt (NiCo) alloy guarantee that it could act as a polarized dipole at the incident electromagnetic wave, thus realizing efficient microwave absorption and electromagnetic shielding . In addition, polymer-based composites show wide application in the 3D packaging field with high dimensional accuracy requirements due to their advantages of excellent mechanical tensile strength, low density, low cost, and high chemical stability, as well as ease in design and molding. , …”